Black Canyon, Last of the National Parks, Recently Visited~

I have finally come to the end of our 17 day journey.  
I think that when I first began to share, I said that we had visited 10 national parks and then I suddenly remembered one and so it was actually 11 national parks...
6068 miles
in 17 days!
We had pretty much had our whole journey planned out weeks, even months in advance. 
One of the places that my husby, Bill found out about in his researching of places to visit, was the Black Canyon National Park in Gunnison, Colorado.
In some of the literature that we read, we learned that at the base of the cliffs it is actually 8 degrees warmer than up at the rim. 
To get to the water's edge of the river below, we had to take roads with 16 % grades...
Very steep!
If the Empire State building was placed in the base of these mountains, there would still be over 1,000' above it...
 Black Canyon National Park exposes some of the steepest cliffs, oldest rock, and craggiest spires in North America.
It also happened to be a very clean park, not all of them were.

For those in North America...
I wish my husband Bill, 
all Veterans, 
and those who currently serve in active duty,
many thanks and many blessings on this Veteran's Day~

I am hoping that Mary with Mosiac Monday and millions more that had been without power in the New England coast,
have had their power restored. 
What crazy weather we have been having here. 
Wishing nothing but blessings to all of those who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy, tropical storms, earthquakes...we even had one in KY yesterday, as well as blizzards and snow storms...
I believe that we are

definitely doing things that are turning nature against the way it was designed to perform and that is a tragedy~

Happy Monday, happy week, be safe and take care~

I am linking up with Mary for:

"Mosaic Monday"

at:http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com

 

I really tried so hard to properly ID the bird seen in the images above, but just could not land on a 100% ID...anyone want to help me out, I so appreciate it~
 

 

 

 

 

 

Even from such a great distance, one could hear the rush of the river below~
 

 

 

Beautiful Autumn colours were showing themselves all over the park system~
 

 

 

 

It was actually Bill who first spotted the Red-tailed Hawk hunting above us, as we ate our picnic lunch along the river's edge~
 

 

And...
Once again, I need help with proper ID...
I thought these might be American Tree Sparrows, but just not sure.
 I have looked at so many birds in my Field Guide to Birds of North America,
and there are a few that look so very much alike and rather, than take a wild guess,
I would rather ask for someone to help me ID these lovely birds;') for me...
Thanking you in advance~
 

 

 

 

A Least Chipmunk was gathering in the goods for hibernation season~

There were a few Fly Fisherman along the river, as we lunched near by~

Welcome to the Rocky Mountains National Park~

In order to get beyond our long journey images and posts, I am going to log in 2 posts with Mosaic Monday and Wildbird Wednesday this week.
I hope that no one will mind. I just have so many images that I had wanted to share and this was the best way that I could think of to do it.

Have a wonderful day and a blessed week~

When you first arrive in Estes Park, Colorado, the first thing that you will see is the famous Stanley Hotel,
which is well known for it's beautiful architecture.
F.O. Stanley had to move west due to poor health in 1903. 
He purchased 160 acres of land in Estes Park and built the main building of the hotel. 
Many of the 11 original buildings are still used today.
It is located near the entrance to the gorgeous Rocky Mountain National Park. 
The Stanley Hotel also became famous when it was used on the setting for the now famous movie made from Stephen King's novel...

"The Shining"

Happy Monday, happy week, be safe and take care~

I am linking up with Mary for:

"Mosaic Monday" 

at:http://dearlittleredhouse.blogspot.com/ 

 &

I am linking up with Stewart at:

Wild Bird Wednesday

(http://paying-ready-attention-gallery.blogspot.com.au/) 

This was our fourth journey to Estes Park in 6 years...we love it!
The weekend when we arrived, was during Elk Festival.
The Elk were in rut and they were roaming everywhere in town, as well as the Rocky Mountains National Park.
As we entered the park early one morning, I saw dozens of people all set up along the road with cameras and tripods. I thought to myself... why are they standing so far away... they need to be at least a little bit closer to the action and so... I lead the way, out into the meadow lands, and it seemed I was the Pied Piper, for others followed me, and we got some amazing images to bring home. 
At one time their were 5 and then 7 bulls all trying to gain the attention of one harem of cows.

If you have never heard a bull Elk bugeling, just go to this site and you will hear the awesomeness ;')~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phib36cTLiI
 

 

 

The bulls bugle all day and all night long and I love the sound...the husby...not so much~

 

 

The beauty of this special place for us, is always changing, always glorious~

The pallet of colours was also really beautiful. 
The Aspen trees were ready to drop their colour for the winter~

 

If I am not mistaken...I do believe this bull is smiling at me!  OK well... maybe not~

 

 

Below is a Chickaree, and, or Pine Squirrel and they seem to be on constant guard, barking orders off and on all day long~

The quaking Aspen trees sound like whispers coming from heaven, their leaves sound like tissue paper rustling together as the wind calls their name and beckons them to the ground this time of year~

 

The Least Chipmunk is an adorable chap, with much personality~

By early afternoon, the bulls were still at it, trying to gain the attention of all of the ladies in the crowd~

I had walked up into an area with boulders to try and get close to a Mule Deer buck, when I saw the little Least Chipmunk with something in it's mouth.  The more that I have examined this image, instead of food, I do believe that it was a female, moving a young one to a new area~

I actually did not get very many images this season of the Black-billed Magpies...this one was strutting it's stuff for me~

Now this was a Big Surprise!
I had told the husby that I was going to take a walk and left the cabin in search of an Albert's Squirrel. 
I was standing in the lane, observing a Mule Deer doe, and something ran past the left side of me.
In less than a minute, there it was, really, really very close to me!
It was an American Badger just staring...in my direction.
My next thought was, oh my, do I need to be afraid, but I just kept taking photographs.  
If I was in danger, it was going to be saved forever in images...
Mary Howell Cromer, taken down by an American Badger in Estes Park, Colorado, 
the newsprint would say ;'(  
OK enough of the dramatics...
It then began to cross the lane warily and went about digging around a tree trunk, for something other than me...whew, and so I continued on with the photo shoot;') 
It was beginning to get dark, and so I was thrilled that I got any nice images~

Since I did not get to see, or photograph an Albert's Squirrel the first day of our stay, I went looking for one the second afternoon of our stay.

I had just about given up, with there it was and it was running! 
Unlike the Gray Squirrels here, that will take off and run immediately up a tree, these guys just keep running across land and they are so difficult to catch. 
I just kept walking in the direction this little cutie was going and it finally gave up the chase and went up a pine tree, for which I was very thankful.

The thinner air and higher altitude were not working in my favor~

The last time we visited, I could only find one Albert's Squirrel too...hmm, wonder if this is the same one from 2 years ago...it could be.  
I just think they are about the cutest squirrels going with those tall tuffs of fur on their ears.
My 9 year old grandson Thomas said "It looks like a Ninga Squirrel" ;')~

The Stanley Hotel as we saw it upon our arrival and then 3 others, as the sun was coming up on our last day there~

Steller's Jay...these are such a deep blue in colour, very lovely birds~

The husby happened to see this little Downey Woodpecker as I was getting back into the car.  
I am thinking it is a Downy, rather than a Hairy, but then again, these little guys
are difficult to call sometimes~

A Mule Deer buck and a yearling buck with his first nubs growing in~

And this ends your visit with me to the Rocky Mountains National Park in Estes Park, Colorado.  
If you have never been, you simply must go one day~